Multiswitch Question

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sox404

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Dec 24, 2004
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I currently have a round dish and a RCA powered 3 x 8 multiswitch with 2 wires in from the dish and 6 out going to 1 standard TIVO and 4 other standard boxes. I'm going to buy one new HD receiver to replace one of standard boxes and I'm getting a triple LNB dish installed to replace the round dish. I understand that a triple LNB dish has a 4 x 4 switch built in but I have more than 4 TVs. At this point, I really only need the new HD receiver to see more than the 101 sat so do I need to upgrade my multiswitch to 5 x 8 or can I somehow wire through or around my existing switch to get the new receiver pick up HD? I don't care if my TIVO and other receivers continue to pick up only the 101. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
 
Sure, run two of the lines to your 3x8 and one of them to your HD unit, leaving the fourth port empty. The HD unit will see all three birds, the 3x8 will see 101 only.
 
Thanks. I'm sort of new to this. If sometime in the future I wanted to upgrade to another HD receiver, can I just run a cable directly to the dish using the empty port or is it not that simple?
 
Thanks for your help with this. Yesterday, the Directv installer told me that this configuration would not work and I had to buy a 5 x 8 multiswitch which of course he had in his truck. I said let's just give it a try with the 3 x 8 I already own and see what happens. Of course, all my TVs worked just fine with the 3 x 8.
 
Well .... lets just say that there is different calibers of installers out there. Some only know what they have been shown. While others have been around the block a few times. Not saying anything negative about your installer, he just might need a few more installs under his belt.

Glad it worked out in the end!
 
Sure it will work for a while. How long no-one really knows but eventually you will need the other switch that is designed to work with the AU-2 dish or more commonly known as the oval 3 dish.. Your installer was correct...Now that your installation is complete you will have to purchase the switch when dirctv would have given ot to you on the original install....
 
Which Multiswitch???

OK, I have been going a lettle crazy trying to figure out which multi switch I should get. I already tried the Terk BMS 58 and an Eagle Aspen DIRECTV® Approved 4x8 Multiswitch (DTV4X8). Neither of these have worked for me. I have what I believe is a Phase II dish. Para Todos I guess. It has the integrated multiswitch right where the LNB's plug in. This is not the triple LNB head. It originally had 2 LNB's and I added a third with the Sat C kit, so this is why I think it is a Phase II dish. I am trying to add a 5th receiver and as I said the first 2 switches I tried did not work.

Is there a definite name brand switch to buy. I am looking at a Zinwell SAM-6802 DIRECTV Approved 6x8 Flexport Multiswitch (SAM-6802). I do not need the 2 flex ports, however, when the new sats are launched can those ports become useful? I believe Zinwell makes a 4X8 as well. All I need at present is a 4X8, but will get just about anything to make this work. Any other brands or specific switches to get??? I just don't want to keep going from switch to switch. Thanks for any help.

Kevin
 
I have a 5 X 8 Multi-switch (the 5th port simply enabling the OTA antenna connection). It works great. You can check them out at http://www.starlink-dss.com/4x4.html#diplexers

I'm not sure about your sat dish set-up, you might want to consider contacting D*TV and ask for the upgrade to the oval triple LNB dish. I might be wrong, but i don't beleive your current set-up has multi-switch built into it like the oval dishes do.
 
kevindef said:
OK, I have been going a lettle crazy trying to figure out which multi switch I should get. I already tried the Terk BMS 58 and an Eagle Aspen DIRECTV® Approved 4x8 Multiswitch (DTV4X8). Neither of these have worked for me. I have what I believe is a Phase II dish. Para Todos I guess. It has the integrated multiswitch right where the LNB's plug in. This is not the triple LNB head. It originally had 2 LNB's and I added a third with the Sat C kit, so this is why I think it is a Phase II dish. I am trying to add a 5th receiver and as I said the first 2 switches I tried did not work.

Is there a definite name brand switch to buy. I am looking at a Zinwell SAM-6802 DIRECTV Approved 6x8 Flexport Multiswitch (SAM-6802). I do not need the 2 flex ports, however, when the new sats are launched can those ports become useful? I believe Zinwell makes a 4X8 as well. All I need at present is a 4X8, but will get just about anything to make this work. Any other brands or specific switches to get??? I just don't want to keep going from switch to switch. Thanks for any help.

Kevin


yep the 5x8 is what you need to make this work
 
I was unaware that D* would give me a 5 x 8 multiswitch for the asking. The installer only offered to sell me one for $150.
 
Uh...actually, when the installer showed up to do your high def install, he should have replaced your Phase II dish with a new Phase III Oval (the triple lnb w/multiswitch built into it), and he should have also provided a powered 4x8 FREE OF CHARGE AS PART OF THE HIGH DEFINITION INSTALL.

You might want to make a call.
 
Is there a reason to replace Phase II dish?

I had no idea the dish should have been replaced. Actually it seems to work fine. I get all the channels without problem, with the one exception of the new FOX HD 88. I always seem to have a problem between the audio and video out of sync. Otherwise, everything is OK. The Dish I have does have the multiswitch built in. The LNB's are individual and each plug into the multiswitch. There are 4 wires coming from the dish that I then run to each of my receivers. I want to add a 5th receiver. This is my problem. I have tried 2 switches and neither work. See my post above, explains it all. The dish doesn't seem to be the problem. There has to be a switch that will work with my dish. Everyone says get a 4x8 or 5x8. Which I have done. But they do not work (Terk BMS 58 and Eagle Aspen 4x8). Is there a specific brand, model anyone can recommend????
 
Are you using all three satellites if not the 4x8 or 5x8 will work just bypass the built in switch if you need all three birds you will need a 6x8 switch. The 6802 will do the job.
 
Using all 3 satellites

Thanks dishjockey, I am using all three satellites. The way my dish is set-up, you can not bypass the built-in multiswitch. The multiswitch is built into the end of the arm that holds the 3 LNB's. The LNB's plug right into the multiswitch. 4 wires then run through the arm and out the back of the dish. Each labeled to receiver. Are you talking about the new Zinwell 6x8? It has flex ports? Flexports are designed I see for the new sats 72 and 95 which I do not use. But otherwise you are saying the switch would work fine in my case? Can 1 of the flexports be used as an OTA/Cable? I really don't need it, but just curious. Thanks for all the help.

Kevin
 
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